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Cirque du Soleil

Performance in Vienna, 2004

Circus of the Sun employs more than 4,000 people working in different groups, which allows the company to perform shows in several places around the world at the same time. Performs spectacular performances, staged in an arena under a temporary tent (tent), in a permanent circus arena, as well as on a theater stage. The circus's annual revenue exceeds $600 million.

They say about the Circus of the Sun that it breathed new life into circus art. Along with popular music superstars, he entertained audiences at the 74th Academy Awards, the 50th Grammy Awards and Super Bowl XLI. His achievements were awarded with the leading awards of the circus world, and the recording of one of their shows also received an Emmy television award. In 2009, in Moscow, this circus opened the final of the Eurovision music competition. In 2010, part of the performance was shown at the Scarlet Sails festival in St. Petersburg. In 2010, the circus performed at the EC conference. In 2011, a small part of the group with several numbers performed in the program of the Rosneft company and the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee - “Rosneft! Ecology! Health!" (first performance in the city of Nefteyugansk). In 2012, the circus performed at the opening ceremony of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Azerbaijan.

Productions in chronological order

Many of the titles of the Circus of the Sun performances are proper names and do not need translation.

• 1984 Le Grand Tour (Big Adventure)
• 1987 Le Cirque Reinventé (A reinvented circus)
• 1990 Nouvelle Expérience (New experience)
• 1990 Fascination (Charm)
• 1992 Saltimbanco (Wandering Acrobat) (first production in the tent)
• 1993 Mystere (Magic)
• 1994 Alegria (Joy, Fun)
• 1996 Quidam (Someone)
• 1998 "O"(Au, Water)
• 1998 La Nouba (Party, waste your life)
• 1999 Dralion (Drakolev)
• 2002 Varekai("Wherever")
• 2003 Zumanity
• 2004 KÀ
• 2005 Corteo (Cortege)
• 2006 Delirium (Rave)
• 2006 Love (Love)
• 2007 Koozå
• 2007 Saltimbanco(the performance has been restored to the permanent arena)
• 2007 Wintuk
• 2008 CRISS ANGEL Believe
• 2008 Zaia
• 2008 Zed
• 2009 Ovo (Egg) - an “exciting” journey into the world of insects filled with energy and constant movement
• 2010 Banana Shpeel
• 2010 Totem (Totem)
• 2010 Viva Elvis
• 2011 IRIS
• 2011 Zarkana
• 2011 Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour
• 2012 Amaluna

Saltimbanco

Saltimbanco - from the Italian "saltare in banco", which literally means "to jump on a bench" - explores city life in its myriad manifestations: the people who live here, the things they love and hate, families and groups, the hustle and bustle of the streets and huge skyscrapers. Moving from whirlwind to calm and from daring to poetry, Saltimbanco takes the audience on a walk through the city center full of allegories and acrobatic stunts.

Saltimbanco is Cirque du Soleil's signature show, inspired by the urban fabric of the metropolis and its picturesque inhabitants. Undoubtedly baroque in design, the eclectic cast of characters takes viewers into a whimsical, fairy-tale world, into an imaginary city where diversity acts as a bastion of hope.

Mystere

Alegria

A baroque ode to the energy, grace and strength of youth Alegría is a mood, a state of mind. The themes of the show, whose name means "jubilation" in Spanish, are many. Power and the handing down of power over time, the evolution from ancient monarchies to modern democracies, old age, youth - it is against this backdrop that the characters of Alegría play out their lives. Kings" fools, minstrels, beggars, old aristocrats and children make up its universe, along with the clowns, who alone are able to resist the passing of time and the social transformations that accompany it.

Quidam

A story about a girl's escape into a world of dreams and imagination

Zumanity

Varekai

Deep in the forest, on top of a volcano, there is an unusual world - a world where the most amazing things happen. A world called Varekai. The word "varekai" in the language of the gypsies - these vagabonds who wander around the world - means "wherever", "anywhere". This production is dedicated to the spirit of the nomads, the art and atmosphere of the circus, its traditions, and the unquenchable passion of those whose lot takes them along the path leading to Varekai.

KÀ

Corteo

LOVE

Koozå

CRISS ANGEL Believe

ZAİA

OVO

Immersion in the world of endless energy of insects.

TOTEM

Viva Elvis

Zarkana

The main character of the show, the wizard Zark, experiences the disappearance of his beloved, and with her his magical gift. He asks higher powers to return his love. Together with Zark, viewers are transported to a fantastic and unknown world populated by mysterious, multi-faceted characters; a world in which the boundaries between reality and imagination are blurred.

see also

Notes

Links

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See what "Cirque du Soleil" is in other dictionaries:

Cirque du Soleil- Inc. Type Private company Industry Entertainment Founded 1984 Founder(s) ... Wikipedia

Cirque Du Soleil

Cirque du soleil- Logo de Cirque du Soleil Création 1984 Fondateur(s) Guy Laliberté Daniel Gauthier … Wikipédia en Français

Cirque du Soleil- Inc. Lema Invoke Provoke Evoke Invocar Provocar Evocar Tipo ... Wikipedia Español

Cirque du Soleil- Cirque de Soleil Logo Dralion in Wien Ci … Deutsch Wikipedia

Cirque du Soleil- Ne doit pas être confondu avec Théâtre du Soleil. Logo de Cirque du Soleil … Wikipédia en Français

Cirque du soleil- bisherige Program 1. Cirque du Soleil 1984 1985 2. La Magie continue 1986 3. We Reinvent The Circus 1987 1990 4. Nouvelle Expérience 1990 1993 5. Fascination … Deutsch Wikipedia

- ... Wikipedia

Cirque du Soleil discography- The following discography is a catalog of the albums and singles released by the Canadian entertainment company Cirque du Soleil. The majority of these musical works are studio recordings of compositions from the original scores of Cirque du... ... Wikipedia

23/06/2010

The famous Cirque du Soleil, whose tour is about to begin in St. Petersburg, can be compared with the Chelsea football club. The Canadian circus, as well as the brainchild of Roman Abramovich, is the very place where talents from all over the world dream of getting to. Russian speech has become increasingly common among circus performers lately. Former Russian athletes and circus performers are giving up everything to travel the world under the Canadian flag.

On April 27, the legendary Canadian Circus of the Sun, also known as Cirque du Soleil, came to St. Petersburg with the “Varekai” program. Cirque du Soleil is an artistic combination of circus arts and street performances, as they position themselves. It was founded in 1984 by Guy Laliberte and Gilles Sainte-Croix and is based in Montreal, Canada. The circus is known for its principled refusal to involve animals in performances and for its synthetic performances that combine circus skills with music, whimsical design and choreography
The new program, which has already been successful in Moscow, is called “Varekai”, which in the language of the eternal wanderers, the gypsies, means “wherever”. This show honors the nature of nomads, the nomadic soul, the spirit and tradition of circus art and those who passionately seek the enchanted land of Varekai.
And today I attended his rehearsal, saw the actors and their costumes getting ready in the costume room, and even looked into the dressing room. I suggest you go and see everything!

2. Ekaterina is the PR director of a circus in Russia. A professional in her field, she answered my letter late at night 5 minutes after I sent it. If all PR people worked like her, then the events would be sold out and popular, for example.

Today's show has existed since 2002, was first demonstrated in Montreal, over 14 years it was shown in 130 cities, 23 countries around the world, and was seen by about 10 million people.
Director Dominique Champagne assembled the Varekai troupe of 50 artists and musicians from 19 countries. According to legend, a lonely young man falls from heaven to earth, and the story of Varekai begins. Finding himself among the shadows of a mysterious forest, in a colorful world of fantastic creatures, he plunges into
a stormy stream of adventures, both impossible and incredible. On the edge of time, in a world where everything and even more is possible, an inspired hymn sounds to the rethinking of life and the newfound miracle hidden at the core of the universe and our soul.

Varekai is born from the fusion of dramatic and acrobatic arts. Talent and power, placed in a stunning stage space and framed by vibrant music, turn the impossible into the real, telling their story through the language of choreography - that universal language of the human body. The pendulum of time will swing back, and we will see ancient and rare
traditions of Georgian dance. And then Varekai will take us into the future with its innovative disciplines, including the “Russian swing” and the number on a slippery surface.

5. Number called "Flight of Icarus". Caught in the net, without losing his flexibility, grace and emotionality, the young man performs dizzying stunts, trying to break free.

6. During a rehearsal, artists don’t even always need music to practice this or that trick. But from time to time compositions from the show were played.

7. No insurance or anchorages. I don’t know how it will be during the official show, but I think it will be possible without them there too.

8. Fernando is a flexible and dexterous artist, and he has already managed to walk around the city and appreciate Petrograd.

9. Number "Dancing trapeze". Poised high above the stage or flying above it, the young girl performs a series of movements that demonstrate her flexibility and strength.

In 1984, Cirque du Soleil employed 73 people. Today, the Cirque du Soleil team worldwide numbers almost 4,000 people, including 1,300 artists. Cirque du Soleil employs people from 100 professions.

10. Installation of the stage and decorations takes 12 hours. Dismantling takes 4 hours. Everything moves from city to city on their own trucks, of which there are 40 units. Artists travel by plane and spend the night in hotels.

11. Artists are hired from all over the world; first, those who want to be in the troupe send a video by email, and after that, if they are interested in the candidates, they are invited to the headquarters in Montreal.

12. When working on the music for Varekai, Violaine Corradi looked for inspiration in the bottomless heritage of ethnic music. Each piece of music is a mixture or interweaving of different cultures, which are often difficult to identify. To create the unique musical universe of Varekai, Violaine Corradi combined the sounds of Hawaiian ritual ceremonies, the songs of 11th century troubadours from the south of France, traditional Armenian melodies and gospel songs, combining
all this with modern arrangements.

14. The musical group of 7 people includes a group leader and a keyboard player, a second keyboard player, a drummer, a percussionist, a bassist, a violinist, a wind player, as well as two vocalists - a man (Patriarch) and a woman (Muse). Almost all Cirque du Soleil shows feature live music. Unlike musicals, where the performers must strictly follow the score, in a Cirque du Soleil show the musicians adapt to what is happening on stage. For this reason, the band director, musicians, vocalists and sound specialists are constantly in contact with each other during the show.

18. This man at the top controls the flying cables, it’s better not to quarrel with him)

19. Number "Air belts". The two performers glide smoothly through the air above the stage, demonstrating amazingly precise synchronization of acrobatic movements and strength. As a duet, their silhouettes merge high above the stage.

20. The guys are both Russian-speaking, originally from Transnistria. They have a lot of charm)

Cirque du Soleil's performers and staff represent nearly 50 countries and speak 25 languages. In 2015, nearly 15 million people saw Cirque du Soleil shows.

Stephane Roy set himself the task of setting the scenography so that all elements were in harmony with the poetic language of the production: costumes, drama and music of the Varekai show
The Varekai universe consists of: a forest, a stage, a crossing bridge, an observation tower. We saw the forest and the stage, and the rest was already in the show.

24. The design of the Varekai suits required innovative technical solutions to ensure safety and comfort. Experienced craftsmen were engaged in the manufacture of original costumes, spending at least 33,000 hours on this difficult work!

We move on to the backstage, where the artists prepare and rest before their performances.

25. The “heads” of the costumes are in special cabinets that are transported by truck.

26. To prevent long dresses from becoming wrinkled and disturbing anyone, they were hung at the very top.

27. Actor masks.

28. Don’t walk on the blue carpet)

29. The helium balloon will apparently take off.

30. Swing for the corresponding trick.

31. The table at which the artists apply their make-up. Average preparation time is about an hour.

32. The entire video performance is recorded on cameras, and then the details are reviewed by the artists themselves.

The main material for costumes is lycra. The shelf life of some costumes is 6 months. Others are replaced after a few patches.

34. The show's wardrobe includes 600 items of clothing, shoes, wigs, hats and accessories. Keeping costumes in perfect working order while on tour requires up to 250 hours of work per week.

35. Cleaning, repairing, ironing clothes, caring for shoes, hats and other accessories
is handled by a permanent team of 4 people who travel with the tour, and another 2 people who are hired locally in each tour city. Singer machine - fire)

All items fit into 58 boxes on wheels and are transported in two and a half trucks. 7 washing machines and 3 dryers travel with them.

36. Costumes are tailored for each actor. The abs that we see on this suit are the real ones of the actor who wears this outfit)

37. "Spare parts" of the main suits. If it cannot be repaired, it is re-embroidered in Montreal.

38. All costumes are made specifically for specific artists. Most of them are created at the company's international headquarters located in Montreal. This laboratory, unique in North America, employs about 300 craftsmen of various professions - shoemakers, textile designers, lacemakers, tailors, hatmakers and tailors.

39. Threads for every taste!

40. Michael Smith - art director of the circus. In addition to all the organizational work, he also sings well)

Cirque du Soleil's mission is to stimulate the imagination, awaken the senses and stir up the emotions of people around the world!

The circus tour will take place in St. Petersburg from April 27 to May 8, 2016 at the Ice Palace. Tickets for the Varekai show can be purchased on the website

The Canadian Cirque Du Soleil returns to Moscow with its premiere. The team, which presented viewers all over the world, one after another, with bright circus extravaganzas, today chose the “Toruk” show.

Many are familiar with the biography of this legendary troupe. But still, the story of how Circus Du Solei was born will be interesting to fans. “Circus of the Sun” - this is how the name of the group is translated; it appeared in Montreal, Canada, thanks to Guy Laliberte and Daniel Gautier in 1984. From the very beginning, they chose a role that combined, in fact, the circus itself, with its incredible stunts, theater and music. All shows are accompanied by a live orchestra and singers.

The fact that Du Soleil is a unique phenomenon is evidenced by both the crowded halls at the performances and the history of the troupe. Today, its members include more than 4,000 artists of various genres. Organizers of large-scale shows and ceremonies dream of seeing Circus Du Solei in their programs. This was the case at the 74th Oscar ceremony and the opening of Eurovision in 2009 in Moscow, the Grammy anniversary and the Super Bowl XLI match. For their original performances, circus performers have repeatedly received prestigious professional awards, including the Emmy television award.

The best shows from Cirque Du Soleil

The previous tours of the troupe, which, by the way, includes many artists from Russia, gave the audience the opportunity to attend the OVO show. The mystical penetration into the power of the four natural elements, the exploration of the path of East and West, fascinated with the courage of thought and embodiment.

The new program that Cirque du Soleil will show in Moscow in 2019 is called Toruk. Viewers will be immersed in the history of human evolution. The artists will “revive” the path traversed by civilization from its origins to the present, and look into the future. The bonds between those living on Earth are inextricable.

Anniversary, tenth productionCirqueduSoleil in Russia – show Quidam set up its “tent camp” in the Ice Palace. Just a few hours before its premiere in St. Petersburg, we managed to get behind the scenes and find out how circus performers live before applying colorful makeup and putting on incredible costumes.

The show features 45 artists, 18 of whom speak Russian. When you get to the rehearsal of the final number and hear only Russian speech, you begin to doubt the internationality of the troupe. The show is staffed by the same number of people - 45 editors, costume designers, sound operators and other people who remain in the shadows.

Cirque du Soleil has one cast, so the same show cannot be performed in two cities at the same time. Therefore, on these spring days, only we can admire the beauty and technique of one of the most mysterious performances - Quidam. However, at the same time, 18 other circus performances are taking place around the world.

Having walked closer to the stage where the rehearsal of the “Equilibrium on Supports” number is taking place, the coach begins to give instructions to the artist named Baska, she smiles back, nods and does what was said. Looking around, you can see the huge amphitheater of the Ice Palace, which a few hours later will be filled with spectators and emotions. Seeing these artists up close, you can’t believe that they are part of this show; it’s difficult to recognize them: none of them perform with their heads uncovered - they all wear either wigs or hats. During the rehearsal, everyone is in elastic gymnastics or sports uniforms, and not in bright suits, because there is no point in wearing them out ahead of time.

During our time behind the scenes, we managed to see several spoilers, including the “Jump Rope” number. The performers jump over stretched cables, changing their position at lightning speed. Immediately after this rehearsal, two artists - Kata and Francois - were able to give us a few minutes to talk about their work in the show. As it turns out, you don’t have to be a third-generation circus performer to become part of this enchanting world. This is exactly what happened with Kata - before joining the show, she was a professional athlete. When you watch Cirque du Soleil, your heart skips a beat with excitement for the artists, and it’s no wonder that the question of the fears of the acrobats themselves also arose. But it turned out that fear hardly interferes with the work process. Kata is only afraid of mixing up the order of the actions performed, and Francois completely snapped: “There is no freedom of creativity in aerial performances, each participant clearly knows what he must do, so there is no room for fear”.

Undoubtedly, such a large multi-level show cannot rest on the artists alone. There are people like costume designers who remain in the shadows, although they do a lot of important and necessary work. It is worth noting that out of the 19 trucks that transport the show, 1 truck is completely occupied with costumes, shoes and everything necessary so that at any time something can be altered, repainted or even remade. Right before our eyes, the shoes of the main character were painted with a thin brush by one of the costume designers. By the way, every element of the outfit is created by hand, it’s not for nothing that the cost of all costumes reaches 2 million dollars.

When the next participant in the show came out to meet the press, everyone thought it was some kind of director or manager - he seemed too stern. But we were wrong. This is also a circus performer - Toto the clown. At his performances, he pulls people out of the audience and asks them to perform certain skits, according to him, and according to my own observations, at this time the audience reacts most vividly. To the words that he does not look like a clown, the answer followed: “If an acrobat, coming down from the stage and meeting his friends, stood on his hands, it would at least be strange, and also with clowns.”. Toto has been performing his act on the show for twelve years now, and his act has changed dramatically along with its author. One thing has remained unchanged - during the show, he still pulls stunned spectators out of the hall and asks them to take part in a reprise. Fortunately, every time he is lucky with the audience - he comes across such artistic people that they quickly understand everything, and sometimes even outdo it.

Traveling further through the backstage world, you discover the sacred place where the magic of the show is created: mats and rugs are laid out on the floor - this is where the artists train. Cables and safety nets are also suspended here, and aerial routines are also rehearsed above the mats before being run through on stage. Someone is lying on them, resting their head on their hand, and chatting about something, while someone else is training hard. Along the perimeter there are exercise equipment that you brought with you, changing rooms can be seen nearby, as well as mirrors, next to which the artists apply makeup. Near the dressing rooms there are dozens of hats and wigs - constant attributes of the Quidam show.

A few more minutes before the thunderous rehearsal of the "Aerial Rings" number with music, and we have the opportunity to chat with the director's "deputy" on the tour - artistic director Michael Smith. He talked about the idea of ​​the show, its symbols, and also drew a parallel between the show “Quidam” (“someone” in Latin) and St. Petersburg: “Both in the show and in this city, despite the beauty, there is sadness and sadness that ultimately gives inspiration.” The main character Zoe (“life” in Latin) is a little girl who is bored without the attention of her parents. “Someone” comes to her without a head and gives her his bowler hat - so the audience, along with her, finds themselves in the world of Quidam, where people soar under the dome, acrobats perform incredible tricks, and tightrope walkers and gymnasts work wonders with balance and gravity. The main symbol of this show, Michael Smith clarified, is the color red, symbolizing the heart and soul. Zoe's mother is also dressed in this color, but she does not pay any attention to her daughter. Throughout the show, ribbons, balls, fabric and even gaping red holes appear on the performers' chests, as if “a heart torn out, or maybe a heart ready to receive”– explains Michael Smith. “We are someone for all people until we want to become someone” , - the director of the show Quidam sums up his words.

Traveling through the hidden behind-the-scenes world of Cirque du Soleil, we became convinced that the colorful show that flies before your eyes in an instant is created by the painstaking and labor-intensive work of dozens of people on tour and hundreds of people in general. Each person on the Solar Circus team is valuable and unique, be it an acrobat, a seamstress or a stage editor. Everyone is working to create an incredible show, and as we know, “the show must go on”, so we left the Ice Palace building and let the artists and workers prepare for the evening's performance.

Text: Ekaterina Priklonskaya